Franck Ribéry

Infobox Football biography
playername = Franck Ribéry
fullname = Franck Bilal Ribéry


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|4|1
cityofbirth = Boulogne-sur-Mer
countryofbirth = France
height = height|m=1.70
currentclub = Bayern Munich
clubnumber = 7
position = Midfielder
youthyears = 0000–1996
1996–1999
1999–2001
youthclubs = Conti Boulogne
Lille OSC
US Boulogne
years = 2001–2002
2002–2003
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005
2005–2007
2007–
clubs = US Boulogne
Olympique Alès
Stade Brestois
FC Metz
Galatasaray
Olympique Marseille
Bayern Munich
caps(goals) = 24 0(5)
18 0(1)
35 0(3)
20 0(2)
14 0(0)
60 (11)
30 (11)
nationalyears = 2006–
nationalteam = France
nationalcaps(goals) = 31 0(5)
pcupdate = October 4, 2008
ntupdate = October 11, 2008

Franck Bilal Ribéry (born April 1, 1983 in Boulogne-sur-Mer) is a French football midfielder who plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich.

Club career

After spending the first four years of his career in his home country with four different clubs, Ribéry relocated to Turkey in January 2005, signing a three-and-a-half year contract with Galatasaray S.K., with whom he won the 2005 Fortis Turkey Cup by scoring one goal and assisting one other in a 5-1 win in the final against league rivals Fenerbahçe SK.

On April 25, 2007, an appeal by Galatasaray against Ribéry's move to Olympique de Marseille was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), who ruled in a statement that Ribéry had terminated his contract with the Turkish club at the end of the 2004-05 season on just grounds, and that Galatasaray was therefore not entitled to any compensation. Ribéry had opted out of his deal in May 2005 in order to return to France after having gone over four months without wages. Galatasaray had sought €10 million in compensation from Marseille, and appealed to CAS after FIFA ruled in Ribéry's favor in July 2005. [ cite web | title = Galatasaray Ribery claim rejected by court | url = http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=424939&cc=5901 | publisher = ESPN | accessdate = 2008-03-26 | date = 2007-04-25]

Ribéry has made 68 appearances in all competitions and scored fourteen goals as Marseille finished runner-up to Olympique Lyonnais in the 2006–07 Ligue 1 title race.

On June 7, 2007, Bayern Munich signed Ribéry to a four-year deal for a club-record €25 million. cite web | author=Sky Sports| publisher=Sky Sports| date=2006-06-07 | url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=470770&CPID=22&clid=156&lid=2&title=German+giants+recruit+Ribery&channel=football_home&| title=German giants recruit Ribéry | accessdate=2006-06-07] Ribéry was given the number 7 shirt, which was freed up due to the retirement of club legend Mehmet Scholl at the end of the previous season. cite web | publisher=FCBayern.com| date=2006-06-07 | url=http://www.fcbayern.t-com.de/en/news/news/2007/12082.php?fcb_sid=ba11518da57488d726427954441cd3a3| title=FCB unveil star signings Ribéry and Toni | accessdate=2006-06-07] He made his team debut one month later, scoring twice in an 18-0 friendly drubbing of Munich youth side FT Gern.

He made his competitive debut for Bayern on July 21, 2007 against Werder Bremen in the first round of the Premiere Ligapokal, scoring twice. He also netted an early goal in Bayern's 2-0 victory over defending champions VfB Stuttgart in the semifinals, but was unable to play in the final (won by Bayern) due to injury.

At the start of the 2008-09 Bundesliga he earned his title as German footballer of the year by a large margin. Of the 766 votes cast, he earned 224, almost 30% of all votes cast. This is almost double the amount that Michael Ballack got when he got second place cite web | date=2008-06-08 | url=http://www.fcbayern.t-home.de/en/news/news/2008/17187.php?fcb_sid=36c0186a7eec4f2f025f0bbfe18ff771 | title=Ribéry named Footballer of the Year]

International career

Ribéry earned his first cap with France in a 1-0 victory over Mexico on May 27, 2006; he started the match but was substituted by David Trézéguet in the 74th minute. [cite web | url = http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=6378&pn=Franck_Ribéry | title = Ribéry stats and timeline at footballdatabase.com | accessdate=2008-03-26 ] He was part of France's roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he scored one goal. He played in the final where France lost to Italy, and his only shot on goal came in extra time. cite web | publisher=FIFAWorldcup.com | date=2006-07-01 | url=http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/match/60/mr.html | title=Match Report: Brazil - France | accessdate=2006-07-12] He scored the only goal in France's 1-0 win over England on March 26, 2008.

On June 17, 2008, during France's 2-0 Euro 2008 loss to Italy, Ribéry suffered an injury in the eighth minute after rupturing a ligament in his left ankle, [cite web | publisher= FCBayern.de | url = http://www.fcbayern.t-home.de/de/aktuell/news/2008/16652.php?fcb_sid=2067be6915d18478fc28a492f6908c6c | title = Ribery muss unters Messer (transl.: Surgery for Ribéry) | accessdate=2008-06-18 | date = 2008-06-18 | language = German] and underwent successful surgery in Munich two days later. [http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h_4VrkerxEkC4Oz_q8pJlduoRQ2Q Ribery has surgery on ankle - The Canadian Press] ] His return to play happened in the 65th minute of FC Bayern's 2-0 win over 1. FC Nuremberg in the third round of the DFB Cup on September 24, 2008.

Personal life

When Ribéry was two years old, he and his family were involved in an automobile accident in Boulogne-sur-Mer after colliding with a truck. Ribéry suffered serious facial injuries that resulted in over one hundred stitches and left two long scars down the right side of his face. [cite web|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article54215.ece | title = Ribery: Lucky to be alive|date=2006-07-01 | accessdate = 2008-03-25 | publisher = The Sun]

He raises his hands to the sky at the start of matches in a move that resembles prayers in Islam. He confirmed his conversion in interviews [cite news |title=Convert to Islam changes French mindset: Rebel Ribéry strides from sink estate to brink of greatness |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/convert-to-islam-changes-french-mindset-rebel-ribeacutery-strides-from-sink-estate-to-brink-of-greatness-418854.html|publisher=Independent |date=2008-06-10 |accessdate=2008-06-01 ] [cite news |title=Ribery's Islam "Noticed" in French WC Opener |url=http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2006-06/17/03.shtml |date=2008-06-17 | accessdate = 2008-06-17 | publisher=Islam Online ] and assumed the name of Bilal, in reference to Bilal ibn Ribah. [cite web |url=http://www.franckribery.org/biography.aspx | title = Ribery's Biography |date=2006-07-10 | publisher = franckribery.org] Ribéry's wife, Wahiba, is a French national of Algerian descent, and the couple have two daughters, Hizya and Shakinez. [cite web | url = http://www.fcbayern.t-home.de/en/news/news/2007/14724.php?fcb_sid=1b05c9d91565d6401963fb7d88905f47 | title = Van Buyten back, new dad Ribéry in France | date = 2008-01-10 | accessdate = 2008-01-11 | publisher = fcbayern.de]

Honours

Galatasaray

*Fortis Turkey Cup: 2004-05

Marseille

*UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005

Bayern Munich

*DFB-Ligapokal: 2007
*German Cup: 2008
*Bundesliga: 2008

International

*FIFA World Cup
**Runner-up: 2006

Individual

*French Player of the Year: 2007
*German Footballer of the Year: 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=6378&pn=Franck_Ribéry Franck Ribéry stats and timeline on footballdatabase.com]
* [http://fussballdaten.de/spieler/riberyfranck/ Career stats at fussballdaten.de] de icon